


Just A Picture

by russianmango



Series: 30 in 30 [23]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-23
Updated: 2013-03-23
Packaged: 2017-12-06 06:00:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/732234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/russianmango/pseuds/russianmango
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Thousand: Justin asks about a picture of Pat's as they go through old photos.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just A Picture

Perhaps it was a mistake to suggest they have a photo album together. Justin knew Pat was overly sentimental, but Justin had maybe half the amount of pictures that Pat had. "And these are just the ones I have with me," Pat beamed as he moved picture after picture into the "important" pile.

It made sense that Pat would have more of the album to fill, but Justin wasn't sure all of Pat's ideas were really needed. Like, is having a picture of Pat with Snoop Dogg really that important?

Justin continued to shuffle through the deck of photos Pat wanted in the album. "I'll narrow it down after, if I need to," Pat offered. That was fair, at least.

After various pictures of Pat, his team, or family, Justin came across a landscape shot of a beach or a cabin overlooking a lake. There was something about it that Justin couldn't take his eyes off. "Paddy, what's this from?" Justin asked, handing him the picture.

Pat stared at it for a second and remembered right away. "That's from a camping trip with the 'hawks. My rookie season," Pat explained. "Reminds me of what things were like back then."  He looked deeper at the picture, small smile on his face as he recalled that night.

<< _Him and Jon had stayed at the cabin instead of going fishing with the guys._

_They were the youngest on the team, so of course they got pushed together, but that night was different. Pat remembered watching, staring really, as Jon explained the time he broke his brother's nose and how David will never forget that Jon is older than him._

_The story wasn't interesting at all, but Pat liked to listen to Jon talk. And then Jon was talking about the girls he liked and it made Pat realize two things; Jon was straight and he was not. It was the first time Pat knew he was gay and it was because of Jon._

_He had his suspicions before, but it wasn't until Jon mentioned what he liked about girls that Pat realized he didn't. He liked girls as much as any normal human being, but he wasn't attracted to them. Girls were awesome to talk to, hang out with, but he never really wanted anything else. Jon kept on talking about him and Oshie picking up girls back in Grand Forks, using their 'hockey status' and Pat's only junior experience, sexually, had been hand jobs with a teammate or two._

_It took until then for Pat to realize it hadn't been lack of opportunity - the nights spent alone with teammates, complaining about not getting any. He never really tried, though. He was just happy to get some time alone with his friends._

_The nights with Kostitsyn weren't a mistake, per se, but more of a lack of judgement between two 'uncertain' young men. Pat googled it after the first time and it happened all the time, so it didn't mean he was gay. Sergei wasn't gay, just lonely._

_Pat had figured the same, up until Jon explained what it was that made girls so attractive. Pat loved talking to girls, getting to know them. He assumed the times it went beyond talking and he couldn’t.... Perform was all because he was nervous. His sisters always talked about Mr. Right, so maybe he was waiting for a Ms. Right._

_But then, Jon never mentioned anything about men. Not how their muscles shape their body perfectly, their eyes and bone structure, strong and sexy. The stubble on their chin or big, soft lips. Pat had never kissed a boy at that point, but Jon got the idea in his mind._ >>

Pat knew it was a little weird to keep a picture that has such intimate memories of Jon, but maybe he wouldn't be with Justin if that moment never happened.


End file.
